Branches of Memories
by Dreamer's Dark Requiem
Summary: There is a Kingdom, a peaceful one, that people love dearly. Soon, though, everything will change. AU


Branches of Memories

Rated: T for blood/violence & swearing

Pairings(FFVII): Cloti, Yuffentine, Zack/Aeris, Cid/Shera

Pairings(J&D): J/K, D/T, T/A

Disclaimer: So, uh, duh. Don't own.

Warning: AU, for sure

AN: …WTF. What am I writing? I'm so very confused. What do I do? XD

EDIT: 11/6/13 Fixed some thing that were bothering me. Also, I'm working on getting the rest of the chapters fixed up and done so I can post them, mmkay?

Part I

Childhood Memories

Chapter I

5 Years

* * *

><p>Jak was supposed to be up inside the castle, learning the basics of swords, reading, or history of Midgar. But the five year old found that incredibly boring. Being with Tifa, out in the lovely flower garden, was much more fun!<p>

Vincent was there, too, making sure the two didn't get hurt. Every now and then, Tifa would drag him into their games, usually the ones about long journeys. Tifa and Jak would play rock, paper, scissors for the role of leader, while the loser would be the second in command.

The dark-haired boy always became the villain they had to defeat with their 'comrades'. The two insisted their imaginary allies were 'friends' not comrades, no matter what Vincent said, though. The duke's son would sigh at his younger sister and Prince's antics.

But he did love them both dearly, no matter what they did.

None of them noticed the distant smoke cloud rising from the edges of their city, Midgar, not until an explosion made the stone wall around the palace explode inwards, towards the three children. Vincent reached back and grasped both of the two children's wrists, pulling them behind him, acting as a shiwld for them.. "Vincent!" Tifa whimpered. The man who descended from the remains of the wall was Wiess, one of the commanders in the royal guard.

"Commander Wiess! What _are _you doing?" Vincent demanded, his red eyes flashing.

The man gave him a sinister smile. "Why! If it isn't Duke Grimoire's son and daughter…and the naughty little prince." Jak squeaked and pressed himself against the older boy's side. Wiess laughed darkly.

"…You didn't answer my question," Vincent said coldly.

The Royal Guard Commander smirked. "I didn't, did I? Oh, but, shouldn't you be with your dear, _dead _father?"

Duke Grimoire's children froze. "No…"

Tifa glared furiously. "You're lying!"

The silver-blond man chuckled, "Lying? Of course….I never lie. That is why I'm called Wiess the Immaculate." Vincent trembled, rage coursing through him. He might have never gotten along with his father, but he had cared for him.

"Damn you…"

"Now, now! You shouldn't be using such crude language around your future king…or, maybe, your _former future king_."

Tifa glared. "What do you mean! Jak is going to be the king after his father!"

The commander laughed again. "You don't realize? The great Baron…he is taking over now. But he wants the prince."

"Why?"

"Now, if I said anything, that'd be telling~" He approached them, grinning madly.

"What is wrong with you! You've never acted like this before!" Vincent hissed, pushing Jak and Tifa further behind him as he too backed away.

"Just give me the prince, and I'll leave."

"Never!"

"I see." Wiess gave a mock-despairing sigh. "So, you'll have to die then." The man pulled his short gun-katana out. Vincent fumbled when gunshots rang—But not from Wiess.

A man they knew to be Arch Duke Barrett Wallace rushed forward, waving his gun arm in the army commander's face, "Vincent! Get your butts outta `ere!" Vincent grimaced but grasped the two children's hands and rushed off, towards the castle.

_It _had _to be safe there! _Vincent thought desperately. _King Cid would never allow people committing a coup into the palace…_

It was for nothing though, as a man in all black suddenly descended upon them, one arm crashing against his head…

* * *

><p>King Cid Highwind-Strife growled.<p>

Baron ShinRa had betrayed them, attacking them during the one time they didn't have any defenses in the palace. Three of their commanders had betrayed them too; Wiess, Azul, and Rosso. Along with them were many soldiers, except for those under Grimoire and Barrett. But...those men were quickly dying out there, alone…

"Shera."

His wife, Queen Shera Highwind-Strife and sister to ShinRa, looked up. "Cid?"

The blond man closed his eyes. "If we don't surrender the throne…The people will most likely…" Shera brought her hands to her chest, biting her lip.

"…Are you sure, Cid? Everyone might…"

"Be upset that I chose this? Well…Screw it. I want them to live, and if they are angry at me while they are, then so be it."

Shera moved forward and hugged him tightly.

Even as she did this, someone entered the room. It was Grimoire, one of the dukes and commanders, and he was heavily injured. "My…King."

Cid stood quickly, followed by the quiet queen, and rushed to his friend's side. "Grimoire!" The man heaved a heavy sigh, a splattering of blood raining onto the dark blue rug. "I…am sorry. I was unable to prevent Wiess and his men from entering the castle…Barrett went to stop them but…"

"Don't speak!" Shera cried, the loudest she had spoken for a long time. "You are injured, and badly at that—"

"It is too late, milady." The man gave a wet cough. "Too badly injured…to do anything to...help me. My King…"

The blond king closed his eyes. "Yes?"

"Please…When you leave this splace…take Vincent and Tifa with you. I may…have been bad at showing my love…for my children…So, for this I ask…"

"Say no more." Cid murmured, shaking his head. "I will do as you ask. After all, it is the last request of a dear friend."

Grimoire gave a soft laugh. "Good…to know…you think of us…as friends…" And he collapsed, his eyes closing forever more.

"Goodbye, Duke and Royal Commander Grimoire Valentine." Shera whispered. "And sorry. I'm so sorry for what my brother has done…"

Cid placed his hand on his wife's shoulder. "C`mon. Let's show those f*ckers why I'm the King."

Shera gave a teary giggle. "Language."

He grinned and the two hurried away, Grimoire's body fading into the lifestream.

* * *

><p>The man in black grasped the young prince by his wrist, holding him above the floor. In his other hand was a crown of red branches (Crystallized Mako-Beautiful, in its own way), which gave off a faint glow on inner power. He sneered at the now-comatose boy. Useless, now.<p>

Better to not let the people get their hopes up, though.

Looking down, he eyed the unconscious children of the dead Duke Valentine. Why bother taking the time to drag them with him, especially when they would know nothing of what happened here? An insane laugh left his lips and he turned away, dragging the prince away.

Might as well take the boy's near-corpse to his Lord. Perhaps he would like to kill the boy himself, to have the pleasure of ending the Strife line himself…

"Let my nephew go."

He looked up.

Before him was young woman, one he recognized as the King's sister, Minerva Highwind-Strife. "Well?" Oh dear. He could not speak the primitive tongue of Humans. Perhaps he should have learned from his lord, as His Lady had said to.

Well.

The boy wasn't really important anymore, and Minerva was included in ShinRa's plot to kill the royal family. Yes, he'll get rid of both for him.

He dropped the prince boy and tucked the memory crown into his satchel. Minerva kept her bow trained on him as she moved forward. He noted that, for a single moment, she lost her focus on him.

Too late.

He leapt out the window and she swore profanities at him as he very literally flew across to the open wall.

Yes.

The man patted his satchel.

He'd call this a job well done.

* * *

><p>Minerva growled before descending upon Jak. Once she saw the bruises adorning his forehead, and most possibly the rest of his head, she froze. She had been too late. But…<p>

She ran hand down the side of her nephew's face.

Perhaps…

She had to do it. _That _place would be safe, at least until he could return, to find everything he left behind.

Until he was ready.

The archer had hoped with all her heart it wouldn't happen, but it had, and there was nothing she could do. The PLANET had been right. It was time. Time to set things on course.

Quietly, Minerva began to chant a spell, the incantation filling the hallway, light forcing it's way through cracks in the worn stone. "Jak, you're going to go to a place where it'll be peaceful, not unnecessary fighting. You'll grow up there, I know, and become strong. I know, that when you return, you won't be 'Jak' anymore, though.

"All I can hope, is that they accept you as you will be, C—"

A sphere of light had appeared around Jak and pulled him down through the stone, making the prince disappear from sight. But, there was no more to do, and soon, she would…

Ah, here it comes.

Minerva stood and turned to the open window. A gigantic sphere of energy sped towards her, and she breathed in. So, PLANET, my job is complete.

Keep him safe.

The last thing she ever heard was a soft hum just on the edges of hearing, telling her that he'd be safe.

* * *

><p>Zack Fair laid in the sandy beach by the artist, Elena's, small hut, one of the few places he could go to without getting dirty looks. The rest of the village weren't fond of him (His Uncle, Angeal, said this was because he talked far too much and got into far too much trouble) especially Lazard, the director of both the library (All of those swordsman books!) and green mako.<p>

Mako was weird, Zack had long since decided. It had, like, four or five different colors (why can't it decide on one?) and a different power to each!...Not that he could actually channel it.

Yeah, mako channeling was dangerous business. Or, that was what his uncle said. Something about Mako being really unstable, like Dark Mako.

Meh.

He doubted he'd ever get near dark mako, so he didn't really care. And—Woah! What was that? Floating in the water? Zack leapt up and moved forward, ending up treading water before he finally got to what he had seen.

There was a young boy, at least a year younger then him, floating in the water, face down. "Oh, _crap._" He mumbled. What if the kid was dead? Or worse! A coma! Uncle Angeal said those were horrible!

Hooking his arms under the boy's armpits, he dragged him out of the water and onto the beach. Frantically, he wondered what to do, before remembering something he had seen the fisherman teaching the older kids…He paused and then tried his best to replicate what they had done. After a couple of minutes, he didn't think he was doing too well.

However, to his immense relief, Zack heard wet coughing and looked down at the young boy's face. He was blinking blearily, still coughing and trying to rid his lungs of the salty sea water. "Oh, man, are you okay? You were out there, floating in the water, and I thought a lurker shark was going to pop up and eat you. Lurker sharks are like, the most deadly things out here, so you gotta watch out, and why were you out there to begin with?"

The boy blinked. He cringed as he realized he had done it again. The boy reached up to his throat suddenly, frowning. He opened his mouth but only faint rasps came from his mouth. The boy shut his mouth quickly and Zack's eyes widened. By Holy, this kid was mute!

Or at least, sort of mute? Did that even make sense? Zack gave himself a mental shrug.

"Uh, Kid?"

The boy blinked up at him and scowled as if to say: _"You're a kid too."_

Zack grinned. "Oh, really! Well, I'm older then you, so, I reserve the right to call you Kid." The young blond pouted and Zack laughed again.

Then, he frowned, "Hey, uh? What's your name kid? Like, can you write it?" The boy shook his head, confused. "…Do you know your name?" Another shake of the head. Crap. "Um. I'm no good at naming thing, especially people! So, uh, do you have anything you'd liked to be called? Before someone shows up and asks me who I kidnapped despite the fact I kidnapped no one?"

The boy looked upwards and pointed up. "The…sky?" A shake of the head. "Um, clouds?" Another shake of the head, and then a nod. "Uh…cloud?" The boy beamed. "Oh! Cloud!"

Had Zack been paying attention, he would have known that Elena had seen him pull Cloud up from the water and had rushed off to find Lazard. The blond leaned over the two and Zack felt his 'in-trouble' senses tingle. The man was giving him an annoyed look while Zack leaned back, a weak grin crossing his lips.

"Uh…Hi, Lazard."

Lazard crossed his arms.

"I can so explain! Cloud, that's his name now, is mute and sort of amnesia, and he was out floating in the sea, and I didn't want him to die and and!" Lazard brought a hand to his face, "Calm down, Zack. I won't get you in trouble. However, I suggest you get your new…friend to your house for the night."

Zack stared up at him with wide eyes, before grabbing Cloud's hand and pulling him up, "C`mon, buddy! Uncle Angeal is sure to let you stay for as long as you need to!" The dark-haired seven year old beamed at the tiny boy as he lead him away.

Lazard pushed his glasses up his nose.

"So. Is he the one, PLANET? The one you're so desperate to protect…?"

* * *

><p>The Kingdom of Nibelheim had fallen. The Strife royal family had disappeared. Midgar was now more of a jail then a haven...<p>

But the Prince wouldn't know of any of this, not for some time...

and even when he did...

There'd be nothing he could do, not yet.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter I<em>

_5 Years_

**_END_**

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, the characters(so far) are as follows.<strong>

**Cloud=Jak(duh)**

**Zack=Daxter**

**Tifa=…Not going to tell yet~(Though, it should be obvious)**

**Vincent=Torn**

**Barrett=Sig**

**Cid=Damas**

**President ShinRa=Baron Praxis**

**Elena=The Sculptor. Can you guess who her Muse is?(Not a red-head, nor is he a certain bald turk)**

**Lazard=Samos. The only one who fit Samos, besides Bugenhagen. And Bugenhagen is a bit of a nut case. :3**

**Angeal=Jak's uncle from the first game. Except now he's the guardian for both Cloud and Zack.**

**Minerva= Just a character I made up just for this role to be a sort-of sacrifice to save Cloudie.**

**The other characters for the other roles will be later, like when they're introduced.**


End file.
